Getty Duke Blue Devils forward Zion Williamson
Golden State Warriors coach Steve Kerr couldn’t hold it back. He simply had to talk about Duke Blue Devils star Zion Williamson after the performance he put on against the Kentucky Wildcats Tuesday night. But Kerr’s praise for the Duke freshman went so far that he even had to ask NBA commissioner Adam Silver not to fine him.
Here’s a look at the hilarious interview, courtesy of The Athletic’s Anthony Slater:
Steve Kerr amazed by Zion Williamson last night: “LeBron, I thought that was a one shot deal…” and then realizes he can’t say anything: “Adam, wherever you are, please don’t fine me.”
“I saw some kid on Duke last night who was pretty impressive, my goodness. I probably can’t say anything more or mention his name … the one who’s 285 [pounds]. I thought LeBron [James], I thought that was a one-shot deal, but apparently, the next guy’s coming. And before I get fined I’m going to change the subject. I dug my own grave on this one. Adam [Silver], please don’t fine me, wherever you are, I didn’t mean anything by it.” Kerr said.
Duke’s Win & Zion Williamson’s Performance
The No. 4 ranked Blue Devils looked like a team deserving of the No. 1 ranking during this win. Duke rolled the No. 2 Kentucky Wildcats 118-84 in a game that probably could have been even uglier than that. One of the team’s multiple freshman phenoms in Williamson was only needed for 23 minutes in this game but dominated in every way when on the floor.
The No. 2 prospect on ESPN’s Top 100 in the class of 2018 racked up 28 points on 11-13 shooting with seven rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal. Williamson and fellow first-year players RJ Barrett and Cam Reddish combined for 83 points, nearly outscoring Kentucky by themselves.
While Kerr heaped praise on Williamson, he probably pulled back enough to avoid any type of fine. After all, it’s tough to blame anyone for reacting that way after seeing what the young Blue Devils core did on Tuesday night.
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